Bill > A497

Introduced Session

A 1996 federal immigration reform law authorized states to require that an applicant for State or local government benefits show proof of eligibility, such as a United States passport, driver's license, or resident alien card. Congress passed that legislation in part to limit unauthorized migration by tightening access to public benefits available to noncitizen immigrants. New Jersey's illegal alien population has been estimated to be as high as 300,000 by the Migration Policy Institute. According to the institute, this represents a 186 percent increase since 1992. New Jersey, it has stated, has the sixth highest illegal alien population in the country and spends about $300 to $400 million per year in public services. It has been estimated that about one-half of this population, also known as undocumented or unauthorized immigrants, enter legally, then overstay or otherwise violate the terms of their visas. This bill would require any individual, household, or family receiving the following State or local benefits, with certain exceptions, to show verifiable proof of lawful resident status: grants, contracts, loans, licenses as well as retirement, welfare, health, disability, public or assisted housing, post secondary education, food assistance, or unemployment benefits. Proof that a person's presence in the United States is authorized under federal law would be demonstrated by documentation established by the Attorney General pursuant to rule and regulation. Public officials providing such benefits and privileges would be obligated to review such documentation.

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John DiMaio (R)*,  Parker Space (R)*,  Harold Wirths (R)*, 

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Human Services Committee (on 01/09/2018)